Sunday, January 20, 2013

Waititu seeks to be understood by the elite, middle class

Nairobi Governor aspirant Ferdinand Waititu. (Photo:File/Standard)

By Mosoku Geoffrey
NAIROBI, KENYA: TNA party nominee for Nairobi governor post Ferdinand Waititu began a charm offensive on Sunday as he seeks to demystify himself to the elites and middle class Nairobi voters.
Waititu met a group of city residents who are opposed to his bid at a Nairobi hotel to ‘explain himself’ to the voters who are uneasy with his possible governorship.
The immediate former Embakasi MP said that the media in Kenya appears to have combined forces with the middle class to fight his quest due to what he attributed to misunderstanding.
“I have been fought by the media and the middle class who don’t appear to like me for their own reasons. However, the lower class likes me as their fighter,” he said.
Waititu said that he will thrive to convince the middle class voters that his leadership is not destructive as perceived and if elected he will serve all.
“The voter at the grassroots and informal settlements understand me and will like to elect me as their governor although you in the media and the elites are cautious about me but we can all work together,” he said.
The former MP challenged the elites who were complaining on social media forums to learn from the downtrodden when they embrace his style of politics.
“It’s not about being a hooligan but fighting for the rights of the oppressed. Nairobians need instant justice and immediate solutions for their problems,” he added.
Waititu defeated Investment Banker Jimnah Mbaru to clinch the TNA ticket with his support mainly coming from informal settlement. The same applied to his ally Gideon Mbuvi Sonko who clinched over 94 per cent to beat his closest rival who managed a paltry 3 percent in the jubilee Nairobi senate nominations.
Sonko attributed his emphatic win to the work he has done to fight for the poor especially in opposing slum evictions by launching numerous court cases.
The former MP remained hopeful that Nairobi will elect him eventually as their senator when Kenyans go to the polls in March 4. Sonko is likely to face Elizabeth Ongoro of ODM.

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